He just stood there. Looking at me. It was getting quite uncomfortable.
Maybe he was just socially awkward and wanted a friend but didn't know how to ask. Yes! That was probably it. "My name's Estrella, what's yours?" I asked, taking a step back. No response.
Oh my gosh, what if he was mute? I hadn't even thought of that. "Are you mute? If so, that's totally cool. You would probably know like a whole other language, and-" My rambling got cut off by the store clerk shouting. "Hey, kid! Put that down, you didn't pay for it!" I turned around to see Elle halfway through a small bag of chips that came in one of the big boxes with multiple bags.
She must've snuck off during my rambling with the man. "Elle you can't eat that baby, we didn't pay for it." I lightly scolded her. She was just a kid and she was hungry. It's what kids do. I turned to the clerk, "I'm so sorry sir, she was just hungry."
He did not look happy. "I don't care if she was hungry or not, she opened the chips without paying so now you have buy the whole box, or I'm calling the police." Shoot. I didn't bring any more money. I didn't have any more money, all of it was saved for rent since I hadn't found a job yet. "I don't have any more money," I panicked, "I'm sure we can work something out right? I mean can I bring money back tomorrow, or-"
The man from before cut me off . I forgot he was in here. "I've got it." So he wasn't mute! His voice was gruff, smooth, and deep at the same time. How that was possible I didn't know. He held a twenty towards me. "No, no it's okay, I don't want to be a burden." He could need it a lot more than I did, or give it to someone who does.
"Estrella, take it." How did he know my name? I was mid freak out when I remembered I told him. I swear I have the memory of a gold fish sometimes. "Okay thank you." The way he looked when he said it was like he was daring me to not take it. It was intimidating.
The clerk cleared his throat. I walked over and gave him the twenty which he snatched away telling me to take the box of chips and leave. I took Elle's hand and thanked the nice, strange man before walking out of the store, our ice cream beginning to melt.
I thought about what would've happened if the man didn't step in and pay for the chips. Would I have gone to jail? What would've happened to Elle? Surely I wouldn't have been in there long but still. It could've gone on my record. Then no one would hire me and we would be homeless.
I need to be more careful. I need to watch Elle better. What if someone had taken her while I was distracted? I couldn't have lived with myself.
I over thinked all of this on the walk home, not paying attention to my surroundings, another thing I need to work on.
But if I had, I would've noticed an expensive black car following me home.
*TIME SKIP TO THE NEXT DAY*
Today I'm going to go look for a job. I had to cut into my savings to pay for a day of day care for Elle. I was going to be walking all day and she would surely slow down the job search, which I needed to get today to be able to make rent next month.
I dropped her off and went into several cafe's and libraries heck I even went into a tanning salon, but so far no luck. They either weren't hiring or said they were going to get the manager and never came back. It was nearing four o'clock and I hadn't eaten in two days unless you count the ice cream last night. I was going to eat the chips, but I started my period and my appetite was gone. It was back now though, and I was going to fall over from hunger. Not actually, I had gone way longer without food, but you get it. I'm hungry!
I saw a hotdog cart and was deciding getting one or not when I ran into someone. I looked up and it was the same man from last night. What a coincidence.
"Hey I know you! Thanks for the help yesterday by the way. Elle always gets herself into trouble." I giggled, the sounds of the people on the streets and cars drowning it out. I remembered that I didn't know his name.
"Hey I didn't catch your name! Mine's Estrella if you forgot. I do that a lot so it's okay if you did." I up smiled at him. He had to be what, six four, five? He definitely towered over my five foot two frame. "Dante" His gruff voice said. "What? Oh yeah your name! That's so pretty!"
Then my stomach chose to grumble so loud all of New York could hear it. He looked at me and I could've sworn I saw amusement in his eyes. "Whoops sorry," I said with a blush on my cheeks, "I forgot to feed the beast last night," I laughed at my own joke while rubbing my stomach.
"Dinner?" He asked and to be honest I really wanted to go but I couldn't. "I totally would but," I noticed his eyes darkened when I said no, "I'm on a job hunt, and I have to pick up Elle at six and it takes nearly an hour to walk to her day care."
When I finished he grabbed my arm and started dragging me down the street. I poked his arm. "Um, Dante? Where are we going?" I couldn't help but notice the stares and people recording us as we walked down the crowded streets.
Was there somethings on my face? Did I bleed through my dress? That would suck because I only have two others and this is my favorite.
"We are going to dinner." He said matter of factly. When I started to protest he shot me a look that said "Try me" and I shut up. Maybe if I'm lucky I'll find a job on the way home.
The stares were becoming more evident as people shouted and recorded us. What was wrong? I poked his arm again.
"Do I have something on my face?" He shook his head.
"Is my hair messed up?" He shook his head again.
"Then why are people recording us?" He muttered something and the only word I caught was clueless.
I frowned. This was weird.
My jaw dropped when I noticed we were headed towards the doors of one of the most expensive stake houses in the city. I panicked. One meal here was probably one months rent for me.
"Dante I can't eat here." I stated, as he stopped to look at me. "And why is that?" Whoa, so now he'll talk. "Well I can't afford it. It's crazy expensive here and-" He started walking with me in tow into the restaurant. "I just said I couldn't eat here!" I whisper-screamed. "It's on me." Well when you put it that way... of course I'll stay! I will never pass up a free meal. Fat. Not that he would let me anyway.
We were seated at a separate back room and I noticed how tense everyone was. He ordered for me since I can probably count the amount of times I've eaten out on my hands.
"Soooooo... tell me about yourself." Silence. "That's okay. I've noticed your not much of a talker. Anywho, my name is Estrella which you already know unless you have the memory of a goldfish like me. I'm nineteen and my daughter, you met her last night, is three. What about you?" This was tough. I felt like I was at an interview instead of having a conversation.
"Okay, ummm, how old are you?" His gaze was so intense I had to fight the blush that wanted to escape onto my cheeks. "Twenty three." He seemed older somehow. "Do you have any siblings? I don't but I've always wanted one." It wasn't exactly a lie. She would never be my sister, even if we were biologically. He seemed to narrow his eyes when I said that. "Yes, I'm the oldest of my four brothers." I nodded as the food came out.
How did they get it so fast? We literally just ordered.
It smelled so good. I was immediately grateful that he made me come with him. I got a steak bigger than my face. Who could eat this much food? He got the same, along with multiple other sides and wine for us to share. I didn't drink the wine.
When I grabbed his hand he raised an eyebrow at me. "We have to say grace." I said it and we dug in. It tasted so good I wanted to savor it forever, but I couldn't even get through a quarter of it until I was full. I had hardly even touched the sides.
When you don't eat much, your appetite is small. Even as a kid I didn't eat properly, not by choice though. When he noticed I wasn't eating he asked "Do you not like it?" I immediately felt bad. He probably though I was ungrateful. "No it's so amazing I'm just not used to eating this much. I have a very small appetite."
He probably thought I would eat more because I am so fat.
No, stop.
"You need to eat more," he said lowly. I shook my head quickly. I couldn't do it. The memories came flooding back in.
You let yourself go. No stop. Fat ass bitch. Go away. I wish you weren't so ugly and fat. Not today.
I tried to bring myself out of the past and realized that I was shaking and there were tears running down my face. I looked over and saw that Dante was sitting beside me holding my hand in his lap. "Hey what happened? Are you okay?" I wanted to die. Here he was, being a nice person and buying me dinner and I ruin it by breaking down because I'm mentally unstable.
Pathetic piece of-
"Yeah I'm okay now. Sorry about that," I tried to smile up at him but it probably came out as a grimace. I looked down at my phone. It was five thirty. It was five thirty!
"Oh no. It's five thirty. It takes an hour to walk to her day care. I've got to go now." I was panicking, trying to keep myself together.
"Estrella, I can drive you," he offered. I think I surprised both him and I when I crashed into him with a hug.
"Thank you so much." We left and drove to the day care. Elle was super surprised to see him but was tired and fell asleep. I gave him the complicated directions to our apartment and he followed them with ease.
Almost like he had been there before.
I thanked him and carried Elle's sleepy body up to our room. I was so tired all I did was shower and go to bed.
I didn't pay attention to the room. If I had, I would've noticed the clock that wasn't there before.
And the cameras inside it.